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The Steve Laube Agency

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The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Don’t Just Do It

By Dan Balowon March 25, 2014
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Dont Just Do it

I don’t like the word “just”.

Don’t get me wrong, “just” is a fine word, especially when used in a triple-word space in Scrabble.  It has all sorts of good uses and meanings…even used to fill time when we are thinking, along with the other great words and phrases of our culture, such as “like”, ”um”, “I mean” and ”you know.” 

I simply do not like the word “just” when it is used to place limits on or minimize something we are doing.  It might be unintentional, but many of us use the word to lower the bar:

“I just want to go to church and sit quietly and enjoy the service.”

“I just want to go to work and have no one bother me.”

“I just want to attend that meeting without someone asking me to speak up.”

“I just want to retire.”

Can you imagine someone stating, ”I just want to be a missionary”?  Devoting your entire life, both present and future to God’s will and work, giving up everything you planned in your life for the service of God’s kingdom seems a bit larger than “just” another path in life. 

Now imagine someone who “just wants to be a writer.”  It sounds like a person who aspires to write ad copy for Craigslist.

Purpose, passion, energy and total commitment are what it takes to be good at anything.

Many years ago, I decided to never “just” do anything (except for mundane things like getting dressed, washing dishes, taking out the garbage and mowing the lawn of course). My wife will often precede something she is about to say that contains the dreaded word with an apologetic disclaimer.  I might have gone too far with this entire thing, but it is too late to turn back now.  (Dedicated to the Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose)

Many years ago, as a way to remember to not “just” do anything, I wrote myself a note and pinned it up next to my desk.  Here it is:

I Love Mondays

  • They are the beginning of an opportunity to do something significant. It might the start of the best week of my life.
  • Do important stuff.
  • When confusion reigns, remember what is important.
  • Harness creativity, intuition and wisdom to beat back ambiguity and randomness.
  • Have fun.
  • Do it all for the glory of God.

Who in their right mind would actually look forward to Mondays? (and not “just” because Steve Laube’s blog post is on Monday)

Zig Ziglar said, “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”

So, don’t “just” write…write with everything in you, but first, maybe write yourself a note.

What drives you?

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Category: Career, Creativity, Dan, PlatformTag: Attitude, Career

Fun Fridays – March 21, 2014

By Steve Laubeon March 21, 2014
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Enjoy this song once again, but this time with an amazing mimic singing with multiple voices. Put a smile on your face today!

Read moreFun Fridays – March 21, 2014
Category: Fun Fridays, Steve

God’s Timing

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 20, 2014
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Since he is a wise businessman himself, my husband almost never calls me when I’m at a conference. He knows how hectic business travel can be. But on a recent trip, he had asked me to call him when I reached the venue. Excited and pulled into a meeting immediately upon my arrival, I forgot to call. So right in the middle of a later worship service, my phone summoned me. Hubby’s special …

Read moreGod’s Timing
Category: Christian, Faith, Personal, TamelaTag: Christian, Faith, God's Timing

Open Your Eyes! There is Creativity Everywhere

By Karen Ballon March 19, 2014
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If you follow me on Facebook, you’ll have seen my recent pictures of the flowers that have been blooming like crazy in my yard. It happened so fast! One day the ground seemed dead and unyielding, the next green shoots popped up, and then… WHAM!https://youtu.be/-EbwAc8dkWI Flowers and flowering shrubs and trees burst forth with colors and buds and blossoms. Among the first to appear were the …

Read moreOpen Your Eyes! There is Creativity Everywhere
Category: Creativity, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Creativity, Writing Craft

How to Be A Reader’s Favorite Author

By Dan Balowon March 18, 2014
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Last week in this space, I wrote about how you could become a publisher’s favorite author (other than selling millions of books).  Today, we’ll go a little different direction and talk about what you would need to do to become a favorite author to your readers. A key difference between how you relate to a publisher and how you relate to a reader is that one is business and one is personal.  An …

Read moreHow to Be A Reader’s Favorite Author
Category: Branding, Career, Communication, Craft, Creativity, Dan, Marketing, PlatformTag: Authors, Career, readers

Fun Fridays – March 14, 2014

By Steve Laubeon March 14, 2014
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Two of my favorite musical things: Acapella vocals and solo Cello.
Pentatonix is an incredible group.

Read moreFun Fridays – March 14, 2014
Category: Fun Fridays, Steve

Who Are You Hanging Out With?

By Tamela Hancock Murrayon March 13, 2014
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During a recent television program, realization struck. I didn’t like anyone on the screen. So why was I spending time with them? I don’t think I’ll be returning to that program soon. When you are writing a story, you are asking your reader to hang out with your characters. For a very long time. Will they want to do that? Granted, you’ll be providing drama and conflict. For …

Read moreWho Are You Hanging Out With?
Category: Craft, Tamela, Writing CraftTag: Characters, Craft, Writing Craft

Two Important Ingredients for Success

By Karen Ballon March 12, 2014
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  I’ll never forget the day, just after church, when a friend pulled me aside and said, “My son can’t find a job and he needs to make some money fast. So he’s going to write a book. Any advice for him?” Yeah, well, the advice I had wasn’t for him, it was for her: “Don’t ever say anything like that to me again.” Whatever gave people the impression that writing was a get-rich quick …

Read moreTwo Important Ingredients for Success
Category: Book Business, Career, Creativity, Karen, PlatformTag: Career, perseverance, Success

How to Be A Publisher’s Favorite Author

By Dan Balowon March 11, 2014
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Three years ago, Seth Godin published his book Linchpin.  Since I follow Seth’s books and blog as a personal and professional challenge, I read it and was inspired by it’s concepts. In it, Godin speaks about some of the new realities in business relationships.  There used to be management and those who were managed.  But now, he says, there is a third group…linchpins.  These are people who make …

Read moreHow to Be A Publisher’s Favorite Author
Category: Book Business, Branding, Career, Dan, PlatformTag: Authors, Career, publishing

Fun Fridays – March 7, 2014

By Steve Laubeon March 7, 2014
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This is a vision of what New York City is really like. Agree or disagree?
One of our kids lives in Manhattan and was too nice to be chosen to be an extra in this video...thank goodness.

Read moreFun Fridays – March 7, 2014
Category: Fun Fridays, Steve
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